Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), with the backing of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday stormed the National Industrial Court in Abuja as part of an ongoing total and indefinite strike over unresolved labour disputes.
The protest followed a directive from the NLC, which declared full support for the industrial action, describing the strike as justified amid what it termed persistent violations of workers’ rights by the FCTA management and political leadership.
Placards carried by the protesters bore inscriptions such as “Wike must go!!”, “Abuja no be Rivers”, “Pay promotion arrears”, “Enough is Enough” and “No working tools”.
(The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) remains in the grip of a major industrial crisis as striking workers, under the aegis of the Joint Unions Action Congress (JUAC), have vowed to continue their “siege” to government operations following a tense day at the National Industrial Court.
The union has, therefore, called for massive mobilisation of workers to return to the court today as the legal battle between the FCTA leadership and the labour force reaches a critical turning point.
Yesterday, hundreds of workers – supported by the Nigeria NLC and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) – swarmed the National Industrial Court in Area 11.
The gathering served as a defiant response to the lawsuit filed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who is seeking a court order compelling the employees to end their indefinite strike and return to work.
In a statement yesterday, JUAC Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, praised the workers for their “massive show of solidarity” and urged them not to relent.
“Your presence and peaceful conduct have once again demonstrated our unity and collective resolve.
“We encourage all workers to sustain this spirit of solidarity by coming out again tomorrow (today), together, we will ensure that our voices are heard and justice is served,” he said.
Meanwhile, the court has fixed today to rule on an application seeking to stop the workers from continuing their ongoing strike. Justice Emmanuel Subilim adjourned the matter for ruling after listening to submissions from counsel representing both parties.
The suit, which was filed by Wike, listed the FCT Minister and the FCTA as claimants, while the President and Secretary of JUAC, Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Saleh, were named as defendants.
Counsel to the defendants, Maxwell Okpara, urged the court to join the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) as respondents, arguing that their inclusion would render any order binding on them.
However, counsel to the FCT Minister, James Onoja (SAN), opposed the request, insisting that the suit was properly constituted against only the two defendants, who he noted were not registered under the Trade Union Act.
He urged the court to grant the application and order the striking workers to return to work, insisting that the industrial action had crippled essential services in the FCT.
In his ruling on the joinder application, Justice Subilim held that since the claimants chose to sue only the two defendants, the court could not compel them to add additional parties.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter till today for ruling on the application for a restraining order.
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